Angler Paul
06-27-2018, 05:52 PM
JCAA ALERT – BLUEFISH ALLOCATION ISSUE
Here is a link for a petition to sign opposing the transfer of some of the recreational bluefish quota to the commercial sector. https://mailchi.mp/njoutdooralliance/keepbluefishrecreational We also encourage you or your club to write a formal letter or attend one of the meetings and speak against this proposed transfer.
REDUCTION OF BLUEFISH QUOTA ALLOCATION
The ASMFC and MAFMC are considering reducing the recreational bluefish quota allocation and transferring it to the commercial sector. JCAA strongly opposes this and will be submitting the following comments. There are two public hearings next week to obtain public opinion and concerns. Please have your club reps and individual members try to attend the meetings and/or submit your comments.
Details on the meetings and how to comment are listed below:
The JCAA (Jersey Coast Anglers Association) has the following comments to offer on your Bluefish Management Plan (BMP) and its proposed Bluefish Allocation Amendment. We are totally against transferring an increased amount of our recreational quota of bluefish to the commercial sector.
1. Why do this now? Does a benchmark stock assessment of bluefish support this increased transfer? What if this assessment indicates that recreational anglers have exceeded their bluefish quota? If that becomes the case, then our recreational quota could be significantly reduced and resulting in a shorten season and even a closed season for recreational anglers to catch fish.
1. Because of efforts to conserve this fishery, we have not overfished our bluefish quota. What do we get for our efforts to stay within our quota - we have to transfer some of it to the commercial sector. This is not fair and it definitely supports our impression that commercial fishermen receive better treatment from your management than recreational anglers.
2. Historically, the split for bluefish has been 83% for recreational anglers and 17% commercial. This has worked for many years and now we are contemplating changing it. What is going to be now? Will it get to 60% for recreational and 40 % commercial? What about the following years? An even split of 50/50 %? We have experienced confusing seasons for our fishery and sea bass is a prime example. So, with changing allocations of our bluefish fishery between our two groups, we may end up with a confusing fishing seasons for bluefish just like sea bass in the future.
3. The recreational fishing industry is dying a slow death in New Jersey with many charter/party boats going out of business, including marinas. Closed seasons and restricted seasons for sea bass, blackfish, and fluke mean anglers are taking less fish home and sometimes nothing. Why should anglers pay to go party/charter boats under these circumstances? We have heard this from captains and an overwhelming number of recreational anglers!
Now, we are hearing that we should transfer more of our bluefish quota to commercial anglers! How much more punishment should we receive! Bluefish helps us get through those periods when fishing gets tough for fluke and other species. But, that safety valve can be taken away with this new allocation. What's next - you can catch only five or 3 bluefish instead of 15.
An article in the June 5th edition of the "Record" points out that there have been fewer party and charter boat trips since 2016. Recreational fishing remains an economic engine for New Jersey that supports 20,000 jobs and contributes $1.5 billion to New Jersey's economy.
The Bluefish Allocation in question will contribute to the slow death of New Jersey's recreational community.
Two public hearings are scheduled in NJ:
June 27, 2018 June 28, 2018
6:00 - 8:00 pm 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Ocean City Library Ocean County Administration Building
1735 Simpson Avenue 101 Hooper Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226 Toms River, NJ 08753
Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:
1. Online at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bluefish-allocation-amendment 2. E-mail to the following address: mseeley@mafmc.org
3. Mail or fax to:
Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901
FAX: 302.674.5399
Here is a link for a petition to sign opposing the transfer of some of the recreational bluefish quota to the commercial sector. https://mailchi.mp/njoutdooralliance/keepbluefishrecreational We also encourage you or your club to write a formal letter or attend one of the meetings and speak against this proposed transfer.
REDUCTION OF BLUEFISH QUOTA ALLOCATION
The ASMFC and MAFMC are considering reducing the recreational bluefish quota allocation and transferring it to the commercial sector. JCAA strongly opposes this and will be submitting the following comments. There are two public hearings next week to obtain public opinion and concerns. Please have your club reps and individual members try to attend the meetings and/or submit your comments.
Details on the meetings and how to comment are listed below:
The JCAA (Jersey Coast Anglers Association) has the following comments to offer on your Bluefish Management Plan (BMP) and its proposed Bluefish Allocation Amendment. We are totally against transferring an increased amount of our recreational quota of bluefish to the commercial sector.
1. Why do this now? Does a benchmark stock assessment of bluefish support this increased transfer? What if this assessment indicates that recreational anglers have exceeded their bluefish quota? If that becomes the case, then our recreational quota could be significantly reduced and resulting in a shorten season and even a closed season for recreational anglers to catch fish.
1. Because of efforts to conserve this fishery, we have not overfished our bluefish quota. What do we get for our efforts to stay within our quota - we have to transfer some of it to the commercial sector. This is not fair and it definitely supports our impression that commercial fishermen receive better treatment from your management than recreational anglers.
2. Historically, the split for bluefish has been 83% for recreational anglers and 17% commercial. This has worked for many years and now we are contemplating changing it. What is going to be now? Will it get to 60% for recreational and 40 % commercial? What about the following years? An even split of 50/50 %? We have experienced confusing seasons for our fishery and sea bass is a prime example. So, with changing allocations of our bluefish fishery between our two groups, we may end up with a confusing fishing seasons for bluefish just like sea bass in the future.
3. The recreational fishing industry is dying a slow death in New Jersey with many charter/party boats going out of business, including marinas. Closed seasons and restricted seasons for sea bass, blackfish, and fluke mean anglers are taking less fish home and sometimes nothing. Why should anglers pay to go party/charter boats under these circumstances? We have heard this from captains and an overwhelming number of recreational anglers!
Now, we are hearing that we should transfer more of our bluefish quota to commercial anglers! How much more punishment should we receive! Bluefish helps us get through those periods when fishing gets tough for fluke and other species. But, that safety valve can be taken away with this new allocation. What's next - you can catch only five or 3 bluefish instead of 15.
An article in the June 5th edition of the "Record" points out that there have been fewer party and charter boat trips since 2016. Recreational fishing remains an economic engine for New Jersey that supports 20,000 jobs and contributes $1.5 billion to New Jersey's economy.
The Bluefish Allocation in question will contribute to the slow death of New Jersey's recreational community.
Two public hearings are scheduled in NJ:
June 27, 2018 June 28, 2018
6:00 - 8:00 pm 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Ocean City Library Ocean County Administration Building
1735 Simpson Avenue 101 Hooper Avenue
Ocean City, NJ 08226 Toms River, NJ 08753
Written comments may be sent by any of the following methods:
1. Online at http://www.mafmc.org/comments/bluefish-allocation-amendment 2. E-mail to the following address: mseeley@mafmc.org
3. Mail or fax to:
Chris Moore, Ph.D., Executive Director
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
North State Street, Suite 201
Dover, DE 19901
FAX: 302.674.5399